A Chance
by Ronwyn The Queen of Darkness
Summary: The Planet is dying. When Cloud wishes he could change the past, the Planet decides to let him do just that. Cloud will have to save the world again, but this time it might be a little different. CloudxSephiroth
1. Minerva

**Because I love them, here it is. My own 'Cloud goes back in time', story. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: **Trust me, I WISH I owned it.

**Chapter 1 Minerva**

Rain poured down on Cloud as he rode Fenrir down an empty road. He paid no attention to how his clothes clung to his body or how is naturally spikey hair sagged under the downpour. He had long since stopped caring about such things. Ever since he had fought Sephiroth for a second time, he'd been living even further apart from his friends. He still felt that overwhelming sense of failure. It tore at his very soul. He was usless to everyone as he was now, unable to do much of anything anymore. As he slid to a stop at his destination, he recalled his words with Vincent after he had woken up in the church.

"_Vincent, you said you never tried to forgive yourself. Why?"_

"_I failed Lucrecia, and I failed her son. Nothing can ever undo that, no matter what good I do now. I do not deserve forgiveness."_

That was when he had known with absolute certainty that he had been right in his desire to stay away. Unlike Vincent, he could not lock himself away in a coffin for years and so he had left…again. This time he left his phone. He wasn't planning on coming back after all.

He looked around at his surroundings through the rain almost disinterestedly as he came to a stop. He was at was at the edges of what had once been Banora. The voices in his mind seemed to whisper restlessly at the sight. He winced at all the sudden racket, but he was used to it. He'd been hearing voices since he'd last fought Sephiroth. Memories that weren't really his own surfaced, directing him where he wanted to go. He picked his way through the ruins and down into the underground. He didn't even bate an eyelash at the powerful monsters he slew to reach the ends of the massive cave system.

At last, he stood before his destination, a recently recreated statue towered over him and marble headstones flanked both sides of it. He touched each headstone with reverence. Janet Strife, Genesis Rhapsodos, Angeal Hewley, Zachery Fair, Aerith Gainsborough, Kadaj, Yazoo, Loz and _Sephiroth_. All people who did not deserve their fate. All people whose death was his fault. The guilt for Angeal and Genesis might have been the memories from Zach, but he harbored the guilt none the less. It was a punishment he deserved, the torment of unending guilt. Finally, he sat before the statue of Minerva that he'd had commissioned and then pieced together himself.

He shivered from the cold as he closed his eyes tiredly.

'_If only I could change it.' He _thought, _'Save them, all of them.'_ This wasn't the first time he had deseperatly wished he could change the past. It was a wish that nearly drove him mad. He slumped to the side, his energy drained.

The next thing he became aware of was a soft voice calling his name. He groaned groggily and sat up. Light assaulted his eyes and he had to wait a moment to adjust. He was still in the cave, but everything was glowing with a bright white light. He turned his eyes to the statue of Minvera and couldn't help his gasp.

A woman bearing a strong resemblance to the statue stood before him. She was dressed in elaborate armor, a massive shield at her side. Her blonde hair seemed to sway gently in a nonexistence wind. She smiled kindly down at him.

"Hello Cloud." She said, and her voice was like a thousand people speaking all at once.

"H-hello." Cloud stumbled over his words. What was this? A hallucination? Or a dream? It certainly felt real.

"We heard your call from the depths of your soul." Minerva said.

"I didn't mean to call anything." Cloud hastened to say, getting to his feet.

"But you did." Minerva continued. "And so We answered the call of our champion."

Cloud bristled.

"I'm nobodies champion."

"You may not wish it, but it is what was meant to be." Minervas echoing voice remained calm and gentle, even when faced with Cloud anger.

"Well what do you want now?" Cloud growled.

"You called Us. And We came. But We also came because We needed to."

Cloud hesitated.

"What are you talking about?"

Suddenly the majestic woman hunched over, clutching her side. A huge crack appeared in her armor and blood poured from a fresh wound. The crimson blood dripped down and onto the ground. She straightened again and a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.

"We are dying. Our WEAPONS can not stop it. We need Our champion."

"But who is we?" Cloud felt like shouting but refrained.

"We are the true Mother, the one that gives life." She replied calmly as if she wasn't gushing blood.

"The Planet." Cloud whispered, "You're the_ Planet._"

Minerva inclined her head.

"We are, in part. And also those that join at the end."

"So what the hell do you want with me? I already fought for you. I'm done with that." He was tired of fighting battles to save the Planet.

"We are granting your wish." Minerva said, gesturing to the headstones around them. "The one you wish for with all your soul."

Cloud stared for a while in silence.

"How…how can I change what has already happened?" He asked quietly.

"By going back." The woman replied. "But you must be sure to destroy the Dark One before it can destroy Us."

"You mean JENOVA?" Cloud questioned. "You're sending me back so I can destroy JENOVA again?"

Minerva nodded ever so slightly.

"Its destruction did not come soon enough. But you, as Our champion, can change this. You hold a strength not even the WEAPONS possess. Do you accept, Cloud? Know that, if you do, it will not be the same as it was last time."

"What do you mean by that?" Cloud asked warily.

"Your scars are tied to your soul. They can not be taken from you. And, as our champion, you will wield our power in a way no other can. You will know what you have learned here, even though you return to the time before."

"I accept." Cloud said firmly. "Do it."

Minerva placed a hand on his head.

"Very well." And then her voice changed into one single voice, one he recongized all to well. "Good luck, Cloud." Aeriths voice whispered

Cloud closed his eyes tightly as the brightness became too much. And then he was falling. Falling and falling into darkness. And he couldn't breath. He screamed, but no sound came out. And suddenly the falling stopped and he opened his eyes, only to meet the worried gaze of Zachary Fair.

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	2. Starting From The Beginning

**I got five whole reviews for just one little chapter! My appolgies for all spelling errors in this as I have no beta. Thanks for read, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: **If it was mine FF VII would have never ended.

**Chapter 2 Starting From the Beginning**

"Are you ok, kid?" Zach asked, frowning down at him. "Everyone says you were walking down the hall and just collapsed."

Cloud stared in silence for a moment. This was Zach. Zach was talking to him. He wasn't _dead_. Was this some twisted fantasy his mind had come up with? He blinked as he was shaken slightly. Apparently he was expecting an answer.

"Yeah…yeah I'm fine. I just haven't been getting enough sleep is all." Cloud lied smoothly. And yet, he could tell Zach didn't believe him.

"If you say so kid. But the doctors might want to keep you here for a bit anyway, to make sure you're really ok."

Cloud looked around. He was in a curtained off section of some sort of infirmary. He frowned as he realized something.

"But why is a SOLDIER bothering with a cadet like me?"

Zach grinned.

"I didn't tell you? I was the one that had to carry you here. The cadets ran to find the first person they could when you collapsed on your way back from class. I was who they found first."

Cloud blinked again.

"I see…" His eyes lost focus on the world around him as he recalled what had happened to him before this. Had the Planet really sent him back? He felt nearly giddy at the possibility. A chance to atone for his sins, to fix what should have been fixed. After all, it was all his fault, wasn't it? He was supposed to be some sort of great 'champion'.

"Hey!" Zach snapped his fingers in front of Clouds face, "Don't do that kid, its weird."

Cloud blinked, bringing himself back to the present.

"Why is it weird?" He asked slowly, "And it's _Cloud_, not 'kid'."

"Only Seph gets looks like that, that's why." Zach explained, "All shut down and cold. If you're not careful you'll end up emotionally stunted." His tone was teasing, but there was a curiosity in his gaze that had not been there a moment ago.

"Thank you, I'll be sure to remember that." Cloud drawled. "And who is 'Seph'?"

Zach chuckled.

"Oh you know, Sephiroth. He's like a freaking icicle some days. But that's what I'm for! Better shape up, Cloud, or I'll make you my mission too."

Cloud rubbed his chest, fighting a wince. It always ached in the places where he'd hung at the end of the Masamune. Sephiroth. He'd nearly forgotten about him. He refrained the urge to beat his head on the wall. He had to focus. He needed to get his priorities straight. First, he had to get out of the ridiculous gown that forced him to wear and then he needed to go find someplace to think.

"I never got your name." Cloud said suddenly.

Zach blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Opps. Sorry. I got all carried away and forgot to introduce myself." He held out a hand and smiled brightly. "I'm Zachery Fair. But everyone just calls me Zach."

Cloud shook his hand firmly.

"Cloud Strife."

Zach reached out a hand and ruffled Clouds hair.

"Well I have to go and you should get some sleep. Glad your ok. See you around, Cloud!" With a wave, Zach slipped through the curtains and out of sight. Cloud could only stare after him. Shaking his head at long last, he smiled faintly.

'_Don't get complacent.'_ A sinister voice in the back of his mind whispered._ 'It will make you weak._' Cloud felt himself unconsciously stiffen warily, his body on guard for threats that weren't there. He'd spent years that way, it wasn't easy to simply dismiss. And then the doctor appeared and he nearly reached for the weapon that wasn't there. Dressed in the standard white lab coat of Shinra scientists, he had short brown hair and thick glasses that magnified his dark brown eyes.

'_Its not Hojo.'_ He told himself, forcing his muscles to relax. The man smiled warmly.

"Ah! Good, you're awake."

"Can I go back to my bed now?" Cloud desperately wanted to get out of there. Doctors of all sorts made him nervous. To much time in the company of Hojo would make anyone hate people in white lab coats.

He looked at the clip board in his hands, "Hmmm. You took quite a bump to the head when you fell, but other then that there seems to be no lasting damage. We're still going to keep you over night but you'll be free to return to classes in the morning."

Cloud bit back a childish groan of disappointment. If they wouldn't let him go then he'd just have to sneak out. He needed to clear his head before he snapped.

"Alright then, thank you." He said quietly, snuggling back into the thin bed.

"Good night Cloud. If you need anything one of us will be here all night." With that, the doctor left. Cloud waited tensely for several hours before he quiet got up. He crouched low and his muscles ached. His body was unused to bending in such a way. But he ignored the pain and pressed on. He slipped through the curtain and began surveying his surroundings.

There were a few dim lights on, with more curtained off beds on either side of him. He was directly in the middle it seemed, with a large set of double doors that looked like the exit. On his left was an office which had a much brighter light on and signs of movement. To his right were a few doors that looked like closets and a bunch of shelves and cabinets.

Smirking victoriously he began to creep his way towards the closets. His eyes picked up the signs of something shiny and he focused on it. A paperclip. Perfect. He scooped it up and continued his slow journey.

He started with a large cabinet first. It was locked, as he had expected. Straightening the paper clip he bent it over and over again until he had to perfectly straight halves. That done he slipped the one paperclip into the lock and began picking. In seconds he heard a small click and he gently opened the cabinet. He was in luck. He'd picked just the right one. He grabbed the set of clothes labeled Strife and dressed quickly.

As soon as he was done he began to creep back towards the doors. Thankfully they didn't make much noise as he opened them. As he squeezed through, he took off running. He used all the knowledge he had to move silently but swiftly through the building. He knew there was an outside training area on the floor. He tried to remember where it was and eventually found himself near the right door. Part of him was fairly certain he'd only found it by sheer dumb luck.

He nearly grinned as he opened it up and walked outside. Moonlight barely pierced the layer of fog that surrounded Midgar, but it was enough to see by. His eyes fell on the dirt track before him and he began a slow jog. It wasn't much but it was completely abandoned.

He took a few deep breaths and then froze. He was being followed. How had he not noticed it? Immediately he whirled around, body switching into a defensive stance while one hand reached for the blade that was no longer there. He met the eyes of his enemy and couldn't contain his gasp. They were the glowing green eyes of Sephiroth.

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	3. We Meet Again

**Firstly, yes I know I spelled Zachary as Zachery! It's simply to late too change it is all. Thanks to the three people who reviewed. **

**Disclaimer**

**Chapter 3 We meet again**

"Is there a reason you're sneaking around in the middle of the night, cadet?" Sephiroth drawled. Cloud could only stare, mouth hanging open. His heart pounded loudly in his ears and his chest burned as he became aware that the Masamune was hanging loosely in his grasp. But there was no madness in those eyes, not yet. His cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. He straightened and snapped out a salute.

"General Sephiroth, sir! I was just….going for a walk."

"Does going for walk often include sneaking out of the infirmary?" Another voice called out.

Cloud held back a flinch. He cast his eyes around, trying to force his weak eyes to pierce the darkness around him. He almost choked. Angeal smiled at him. Beside him stood Genesis, looking almost bored.

'_We are…monsters. We have neither dreams nor honor.' _Genesis whispered in a memory that wasn't really his.

_Impossible_. It was completely impossible. By the time he'd made cadet it had been to late to save Angeal or Genesis. Genesis had already started going mad from the degradation, dragging Angeal and Sephiroth down with him. But there they stood, the three of them. He became aware of the fact that they were staring at him, waiting for an answer. He snapped out another salute.

"They said I was fine and I was going to go crazy if I stayed there any longer."

Genesis sneered at him.

"He probably wanted to try and play some sort of prank. Did I tell you that last week some brats tried to steal my special edition of LOVELESS?"

"He doesn't seem to be lying." Angeal murmured, "Though it might not be the whole truth."

"Your name, cadet." Sephiroth said, eyes narrowing. Cloud hated how his voice made him shiver.

"Cloud Strife, sir." He said quietly, staring at his feet.

"Well, Cadet Strife, I suggest you return to the infirmary. _Now_."

Cloud nodded and took that opportunity to turn and flee. He'd gotten away with sneaking outside. He should be gratrful.

* * *

It had been late in the night when a restless Angeal had called him. He'd been signing some meaningless bit of paperwork in his office.

"Feel like a spar?" He asked. Angeal knew he suffered from acute insomnia. Many experienced SOLDIERS suffered from it to some degree.

"I take it you already called Genesis?" He asked, though he already knew the answer. Angeal laughed.

"You know me so well. I take it that's a yes? We can't use our regular training room this time though, their still repairing it. We'll meet by the elevator and head outside to the platform on the infirmary level together, okay?"

Sephiroth said nothing as he closed his PHS. He stood from his desk and grabbed the Masamune from where it rested on a suspended rack behind him. Running a hand through his hair he left. The elevator ride down to the right level wasn't nearly quick enough. His body was already tensing, eager for a good fight. As he reached the level he stepped off, only too meet the sight of a grinning Angeal and a smirking Genesis.

"Ready to get your ass handed to you?" Genesis taunted, so sure of his supposed victory. He reached a hand behind his back and adjusted his massive Rapier needlessly as they walked through the darkened halls. It didn't matter after all. With so much mako in their system, there night vision was as good as regular eyesight. Angeal snorted.

"Right, G. Right after I sprout wings and Seph here finally gets a boyfriend."

"Why must all conversations inevitably lead to jests about me finding a long term companion?" Sephiroth sighed, exasperated.

"Because you keep refusing to settle for anyone." Angeal huffed. "You know we worry about you, right? I mean, at least Genesis and I have each other. But you…"

"I have simply not found anyone suitable." Sephiroth said, voice growing more icy by the minute.

Genesis scoffed.

"You're just picky, you mean."

"_Enough_." Sephiroth snapped, "I would rather listen to Angeal prattle on about Zachery then have this conversation _again_."

"You know if Zach where here he'd say the same thing." Genesis argued.

"Yes, that brat seems to have taken up the same goal as you two." His eyes darkened, "As if I am something broken that can be fixed."

Angeal, sensing a sudden change in mood, decided to change the subject.

"Oh! Well if you must know, Zach rescued some cadet today. Apparently the poor kid passed out and hit his head. Zach carried him all the way to the infirmary from near the cadet barracks."

Sephiroth stopped abruptly and held up a hand for silence. As Genesis and Angeal froze in place, a figure appeared. They were sneaking out of the infirmary and doing a fairly good job of it. Cling to the shadows, they began sneaking there way down the hall. Curious, Sephiroth gestured for them to follow. It was interesting to watch. Whoever there were clearly had experience with sneaking around. Anyone without mako in their system would have been completely unaware of their presence and even some SOLDIERS would have had a hard time spotting them. The three followed slowly behind until they reached the outdoor track.

It was a cadet, Sephiroth realized. Scrawny and short, with ridiculously spiky blonde hair. Nothing extraordinary at all, in fact they'd probably fail or drop out of cadet training soon enough. How had a cadet learned to sneak around like that? Perhaps he was one of the slum brats that sometimes tried to join up with Shinra. He blinked as the cadet froze. He'd been sensed. Impressive, for a cadet. He watched with mild curiosity as the blonde spun and crouched low. A practiced fighter's stance. He watched him reach for a weapon that didn't exist. What where they teaching cadets these days?

"Is there a reason you're sneaking around in the middle of the night, cadet?" He asked. And he looked back at him with an unreadable expression in his eyes. It went beyond anything he'd seen in a cadet before. Was it fear? And then it was replaced with embarrassment as he seemed to become aware of who he was. Perhaps he'd been imagining something else? Some monster in the dark?

"General Sephiroth, sir! I was just…going for a walk." It was the truth, partially. He could tell. But mostly an attempt to get away without questioning.

"Does going for walk often include sneaking out of the infirmary?" Angeal teased.

Sephiroths sharp eyes watched the boy almost recoil.

"They said I was fine and I was going to go crazy if I stayed there any longer." He could tell the blonde was suffering from pent up energy by the way he unconsciously kept shifting his weight.

"He probably wanted to try and play some sort of prank. Did I tell you that last week some brats tried to steal my LOVELESS?" There was Genesis, ready to think the worst of any cadet. He really didn't like the cadets at all. Or children in general. Not that Sephiroth particularly cared for children himself, he simply did not dislike them to Genesis' extent.

"He doesn't seem to be lying." Angeal said, "Though it might not be the whole truth." So Angeal too, suspected there was more to the story. A deeper reason for sneaking out in the dead of night.

"Your name, cadet." Sephiroth pressed, making sure to keep his voice cold. He watched the cadet shiver at that. It was always fascinating to see how something as simple as a change of voice affected people. The blonde cast his eyes downward, looking at his feet.

"Cloud Strife, sir."

"Well, Cadet Strife, I suggest you return to the infirmary. _Now_."

Cloud looked grateful for the opportunity to leave as he ran back inside. Angeal chuckled.

"I think you scared him."

"It doesn't matter." Sephiroth raised the Masamune. "We came here for a purpose, did we not?"

Genesis grinned and pulled the Rapier from the straps on his back.

"Alright. Lets go." He lunged at Sephiroth, blades meeting with a clash.

Angeal stepped back, drawing the SOLDIER sword he'd taken to using. The weapon had served him quite well before. He completely ignored the massive Buster blade on his back. He let Genesis and Sephiroth exchange a few more blows before he stepped in, catching Genesis sword against his own.

"Before you fight him," He pushed the Rapier to the side and aimed a kick at Genesis' ribs. "You have to get through me!"

Genesis smirked.

"Easy." He dodged the kick smoothly. "You're slow, Angeal. Must be that ridiculous sword you insist on carrying."

Sephiroth stepped back to watch the two fight. He knew that Angeal would rise to the barb about his sword and speed. He was predictable like that.

"I'm still fast enough to beat you!"

He watched his friends thoughtfully, tuning out the banter. Angeal held a great deal more strength then Genesis, but Genesis did indeed have superior speed. He knew eventually they would turn on him, he just had to wait. He wasn't disappointed. It was like someone hit a switch. As one, Genesis and Angeal turned and sped towards him. He smiled and blocked both blades with the Masamune and pushed them back. He dodged a kick from Genesis and another swipe from Angeal before he moved back.

Genesis, seeming enraged by the lack of progress in the battle, ran a hand down the length of the Rapier. The sword glowed with magic at his touch.

"Stop!" Angeal barked. "You _know _we can't do that here. This isn't the training room, Genesis!" Where they were was a suspended platform like a massive balcony on the back of the side of the Shinra building. If they caused too much damage, unlike in the training room, they'd be in serious trouble.

Genesis froze and the glow faded. "Tch. I'm suddenly tired. I'm going to bed." He turned and left without another word.

"Why did he do that?" Sephiroth asked, confused. Angeal sighed heavily.

"I think he worries that he's weak because he can't beat you with just his sword alone. But you're…you, you know? The strongest out of all of us. You wouldn't have advanced in SOLDIER the way you did if you weren't the best." He pated Sephiroth on the shoulder. "Come on. It was a short spar, but it was worth it. Let Genesis cool down and we'll see him tomorrow. Go try and get some sleep, ok?" With that, he left Sephiroth standing there in favor of retreating back inside.

Sephiroth stood there for a full minute, thinking. He hated how he still didn't understand why Genesis seemed angry. It had been so sudden too. They'd just barely started their spar. What purpose did such useless emotions have, anyway? They only got in the way of accomplishing things. Finally, find no answers, he left.

Cloud watched Sephiroth from his place at the window near the doors. Genesis and Angeal had seemed content to ignore him as they passed, but he doubted Sephiroth would. Deciding not to tempt fate, he ran all the way back to the infirmary. He received quite a scolding when he returned. Apparently someone had checked on him to find his bed empty and his stuff missing. He had to endure a very long lecture on why you shouldn't run around with possible head injuries before he was finally allowed to return to his bed. He stared at the blank, white, ceiling, repeating the same words over and over again in his head.

'_I can fix it. I can make it right.' _

At last, forced by exhaustion, he fell asleep.

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	4. Nightmares and Breakfast

**This ones a little darker then the others have been. Not to much I think, but still darker. Regardless, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: **Do I really have to tell you its not mine?

**Chapter 4 Nightmares and Breakfast**

Cloud twisted and turned in his sleep, caught up in nightmares of the burning of Nibelheim.

_The town burning around him, bodies left in pools of blood on the ground._

_Running home only to see a pile of burning rubble. The sinking feeling in his chest telling him all he needs to know. _

_Rage. Pure rage. How dare he do this?_

_The massive Buster sword, so heavy in his hands. _

_Sephiroth slumping to the ground, bleeding heavily._

_Tifa, injured and bleeding. "Cloud…you kept your promise…" "I'm sorry I took so long."_

_Zach, on the ground. Dead? "Cloud…finish him off."_

"_Mother…" A head, with JENOVA written in metal._

_More rage._

_Dangling on the blade of the Masamune. "You really thought you could defeat me?"_

_Pain. So much pain._

_The Masamune in his grasp, hands bleeding, pulling it deeper and closer._

"_For what you've done…I will never forgive you!"_

_Sephiroth falling away, into the reactor._

_Life slipping away. The feeling of metal as his head hits the floor._

Cloud woke with a gasp. A team of scientists had flocked to his side.

"Are you alright young man?" One asked. It was the brown haired scientist from last night.

"Yeah..." Cloud whispered, closing his eyes. "I was just a nightmare."

"_Just _a nightmare? You were _screaming_."

Cloud flushed with embarrassment.

"Oh…that…that happens sometimes. Sorry to bother you." Damn it. He knew he had nightmares, he'd had them since escaping from Hojo. And he'd been on his own for so long, he'd forgotten he sometimes screamed. The scientists sputtered. He stared blankly back. Now what did they want? Couldn't they just let it go? He frowned when he remembered something. Hadn't Deepground been started by the medical unit? He'd learned all about it when he'd gone to help Vincent. After all, he couldn't completely stay away from his friends. He shivered. Well it didn't exist _now_ so there was nothing he could do about it. The scientists whispered amongst each other for a minute.

"You've been cleared to go." The brown haired scientist, apparently the one in charge, finally said. He set his clothes and his boots at the end of the bed. Cloud didn't waste any time. He threw on his clothes and practically ran out the door. He came to a halt outside the cadet cafeteria.

The whole floor was mostly for cadets. It had the cafeteria, the cadet bunkers, the track, basic training rooms and classrooms. The infirmary was also on the same floor of course, though it was a smaller one and, again, used only for cadets. Everything changed if you made it into SOLDIER. The food, particularly, was rumored to be better. And the beds, since SOLDIER Thirds shared an apartment with only a couple of other people.

Taking a deep breath, Cloud walked into cafeteria. He wasn't looking forward to it. Having chosen a solitary life had made him prone to avoid large crowds whenever possible. Usually the worst it got was the nearest town market when he needed supplies. An entire room filled with noisy children didn't not appeal to him in the slightest. He grabbed a tray and lined up with the rest of the cadets.

As he got his food he chose a little bit of egg and water to drink. His body, in its current state, was weak and unfit for SOLDIER. He'd come up with a semblance of a plan last night part of it hinged on making it into SOLDIER. The plan, unfortunately, was wait and hold out for the right opportunities but it was better then no plan at all. Regardless, he needed to get his body used to functioning on simple rations and little sleep.

As he looked for a place to sit, the voices started up again.

'_Watch your back. Don't be weak.'_ The sinister one whispered. Other voices seemed to echo the sentiment. Why couldn't he have someone pleasant in his head, like Aerith or Zach? But no, apparently going crazy wasn't supposed to be fun. That particular voice always urged him to show caution, giving advice like every situation was hostile. Vaguely he wondered if he should give the voice a name, or if it would only make him more insane.

Rather then deal with the voices any longer, he began searching for a more suitable place to sit. He found one. Right near the door, with the bench to the wall so he wouldn't have to worry about getting 'stabbed in the back' or anything. There was nobody sitting there because it was next to a garbage can. But Cloud could handle the smell. He sat down and started on his breakfast.

When he finished, he simply sat there waiting for classes to begin. He realized, with no small amount of embarrassment, that he didn't even remember what his classes were. He was wondering what he was going to do when someone barged through the doors. It was Zach, a broadsword strapped to his back.

"Spiky! There you are! I went to check on you to see if you were ok, but they said you'd already headed here."

Cloud flushed. What was Zach doing here?

"That doesn't explain why you're here though…"

Zach shrugged casually. "I just wanted to make sure you were ok. You seemed in bad shape when I took you to the infirmary. All pale and stuff."

Cloud looked at his empty tray.

"I'm fine. But everything's a bit fuzzy today. I can't seem to remember what classes I have."

Zach scratched the back of his neck. "Well they split up classes by what bunker you sleep in, right? And I think those kids said you were in bunker 4. So its Physical Training first, I think. That is, if they haven't changed it since I was a cadet. I was in 4 too you see. So you're class is in one of the training rooms like usual. I know they have a posting outside the cafeteria stating which one it is for the day. And then it should be History, then Weapons Training, Materia Practice, Basic Potions, then Military Strategy. Hope that helps!"

Cloud looked up and smiled brightly.

"Thanks! I think that sounds just about right. I should get going though. Thanks!" He stood up and started heading for the doors.

"Wait!" Zach waved his arms, "I'll walk you to class."

Cloud blinked.

"But…why?"

Zach paused and then shrugged.

"I don't know. I just have a good feeling about you is all. Like we're already best friends!"

Cloud fought to keep a smile on his face as dark memories threatened to overcome his sense of reality. Memories of Zach, of his blood smeared on his face and hair.

"_You'll be…my living legacy."_

"Yeah…I know what you mean."

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	5. Classes Begin Part 1

**First thank you for all the story alerts and unexpected reviews! So, who wants me to name the 'sinister' voice in Clouds head?**

**Disclaimer: **It might be mine for all you know…really…

**Chapter 5 Classes Begin Part 1**

Cloud resisted the urge to sigh as he stood in a line with the rest of the cadets. The room was lined with thick mats on the floor and walls. The instructor was demonstrating a basic strike and block. It was simple and _boring_. They spent half the class being half shouted at on basic principles. At last, they were paired off to practice. He was paired off with a rather large boy with dirty blonde hair. The boy sneered at him.

"Great, I get paired with the shrimp."

Cloud bit back another sigh. Children.

"Come on then." He said calmly, completely unaffected by the taunt, "Hit me if you can."

The boy, incensed, struck out the way the instructor had showed them. Cloud had already estimated what he would have to do to keep from getting hit. He was shorter and the taller boy had to strike down to get to him. If he kept moving he'd be fine. He blocked the strike smoothly, though the blow was jarring. He may not have any of his former strength and speed, but he it seemed he didn't need it to block such agonizingly slow strikes. The boy continued to attempt to hit him uselessly.

"Look at Strife!" The instructor barked, coming over and clapping Cloud firmly on the shoulder, "That is how you should be doing it!" Cloud tried not to falter at the unexpected praise. "Alright now, switch!"

Cloud immediately settled into offensive. His strikes held no strength and wouldn't so much as sting, but he was still able to consistently hit his partner.

"Strife!" The instructor called from the front of the class, "Come here."

Cloud stopped his attacks and walked briskly over the man.

"Yes sir?"

"Hit me."

Cloud blinked.

"Sir?"

"I said hit me, cadet. That was an order."

Cloud struck out with the move they were practicing. It was blocked effortlessly.

"Again."

Cloud repeated the move, pushing his body to move as fast as it could. Again, the teacher called for him to repeat it. They did that a few more times before he called him to a halt.

"Alright Strife, watch me." The instructor settled into another basic stance and demonstrate the strike and its counter. "Now do that."

Cloud lashed out with the strike first. Again, it was smoothly blocked. It didn't even look like it took the slightest bit of effort for him to block him. His opponent motioned for him to continue his assault and so he did. Sweat drenched his body. And then the instructor moved in with his own strike. It wasn't with the full speed and power of a mako enhanced SOLDIER, because he could actually see it coming. He moved to block as quickly as he could but it still wasn't fast enough. He kept trying to block uselessly, growing more tired and weaker with every strike. At last, it came to a halt.

"Are we done, sir?" He asked breathlessly. He wondered why he'd been made to do that. Perhaps it was lessons they'd already gone over? It made sense that he'd be signaled out as the smallest and weakest of the class.

"You're free to go early, cadet." The instructor said. With a groan, Cloud limped out the door. He needed to take a break, so he didn't even care to question the dismissal. He headed outside to the track to wait for his next class to start. He rolled his eyes as he saw who was running laps. It was Zach, of course.

"Zach!" He called. The SOLDIER halted mid step and turned to smile at him. Hey jogged over to his side.

"Hey! How was class?"

Clouds shoulders sagged, his head hung and he groaned.

"Horrid. I'm so weak it's just ridiculous."

Zach patted him on the shoulder.

"Awww. Don't be like that. I'm sure things will look up. You're only in the second week of classes!"

"They teacher pulled me aside to reteach me stuff!" Cloud moaned. "It's 'cause I'm the small one. The weak one. Urgh! How can I ever get into SOLDIER in the shape I'm in?"

Zach grinned.

"I'll teach you!"

Cloud looked up sharply.

"What?"

"During lunch and after dinner! We'll work on whipping you into shape in no time!"

Cloud stared down at his boots, embarrassed.

"You don't have to do that. I'm sure you're busy."

Zach shrugged.

"Nah. Angeal's been telling me it would be good for me to take on someone like he did me. Thinks something like that might take off some of my extra energy." As if to demonstrate that, he began doing squats.

Cloud looked up again, smiling faintly at his antics.

"I guess we could do that…if it's not too much trouble." He wondered briefly at how one little difference could completely change how things were supposed to be. Had he and Zach always been destined to be friends?

"Its no trouble at all. Come on then, we'll start now. First, some stretches." He showed Cloud some basic warm-ups which he easily moved through. It helped get rid of some of the aches from his class. "Now, for some laps. Come on, Cloud." He started off at an easy pace and increased it. They did five laps around the massive track before Cloud was forced to stop.

"Too….tired..." He gasped.

"Nope!" Zach chirped, "Now its time for some push-ups! Give me twenty and I'll buy you something nice for lunch."

Cloud dropped to the ground and started pushing himself up again. His arms were shaking by five. When he reached twenty he collapsed, uncaring that his face was rest in dirt.

"Urgh…" He groaned. How was he supposed to get to his next class now?

"You okay, spiky?"

Cloud glared up at him from his position on the ground.

"Do I_ look _okay? I'll never be able to get to History like this…"

Zach reached under his shoulders and lifted the blonde up.

"You'll be fine. If it hurts that's a good thing!"

Cloud groaned again.

"If you say so…" He proceeded to half drag himself inside, Zach by his side to make sure he didn't collapse. He was early to his next class but he hardly cared. He sat down at the desk closest to the door and collapsed again.

"I'll see you later, Zach." He mumbled as his head hit the desk. Zach chuckled.

"See you at lunch! Meet me at the track again, okay?"

Cloud grunted in affirmative, not lifting his head from his desk. He didn't move when the teacher came in and started shuffling around with papers. He only sat up when other people started entering the room. The class was boring and he mostly half napped through it. It enraged the teacher of course, who kept asking him questions at random. All were easily answered, he didn't even have to think hard.

When the class ended it was time for lunch. He headed outside as Zach had requested and found him sitting in dirt in the center of the track. Zack held up a large brown paper bag.

"I told you I'd give you lunch!"

Cloud wandered over to him and sat down next to him. He looked at the bag warily and the scent of cooked meat drifted over to him.

"What is it?"

Zach pulled something out of the bag with a flourish.

"Fried Rarab kabob!"

Cloud took the offered stick, staring at it in near horror.

"That sounds…completely unhealthy."

Zach snorted.

"So? That's half the point! Come on! Eat up! It's delicious, I promise."

Cloud pulled a chunk of meat off the stick and stuck it in his mouth. His eyes closed against his will as the flavor hit him. It really was delicious. He hadn't had anything like it in ages. Junk food had lost its appeal to him a long time ago. But it was simple to amazing to ignore. He finished the piece and opened his eyes to see Zach grinned at him.

"You were right, I admit it." Cloud admitted. "I spent a lot of time eating practically army rations at home, so this is really different."

Zach winced.

"Hard times, huh?"

Cloud shrugged.

"Pretty much." He said quietly.

"Where you from anyway, Cloud?" Zach asked curiously.

"Nibelheim. You?"

"Gongaga. Guess we're both country boys, huh?" Zach laughed.

Cloud smiled ever so slightly.

"Yeah…" He finished his food while the two chatted casually about the differences between Gongaga and Nibelheim. Cloud stood at last, dusting off his pants.

"I have to get to class. See you after dinner, right?"

"Right!" Zach said waving cheerfully as Cloud began the trek back to his next class. Zachs guess at the schedule had not been wrong thankfully. Weapons training was in another padded room, this time with large cushions to sit on during lectures and racks filled with different types of wooden swords and a bins filled with padded staff.

Cloud sat down at the front of the class again, barely interested in the class. He missed his sword. The weapon was custom built after all, completely unique. He sighed heavily as the instructor began to discuss why some swords had hand guards and then blended into a lecture about different types of basic swords. The entire day was spent listening to the lecture so Cloud zoned happily, content to dream about the day he'd be able to build his sword again.

**Don't just 'alert', REVIEW!**


	6. Class Begin Part 2

**Omg! You guys reviewed! Woot! Lots of people watching and favoriting, so thanks to you too. So I'm sorry it took so long and that its probably not the most satisfying of my chapters. I hope you enjoy it anyway.**

Cloud fidgeted and sighed as he sat down at his table for Basic Potions class. Materia class had been yet again more theory and no actual practice. The teachers seemed to have it out for him, though. He had effortlessly answered all questions directed at him of course, but the fact that they kept pestering him was the annoying part.

He hoped this class would be more challenging. He'd never bothered to study the process of making potions as he'd either found or bought all of his. He stared down at the table before him, which had two clear boxes with two little white mice in them and two syringes filled with slightly different blue liquid.

He looked to the front to examine the teacher. He was a tall, thin man with dark blonde hair and sharp blue eyes. He was dressed in the white lab coat typical of Shinra scientists and Cloud felt a shiver go up his spine. He could see it in the coldness of his gaze that this was a man too much like Hojo. He was a man that would do unspeakable cruelties in the name of science and sometimes for no reason at all.

Cloud had become quite good at recognizing those types of people on sight. As he'd found, the destruction of JENOVA and Hojos death had not stopped several curious ex-Shinra scientists from seeking him out. Why he was suddenly such a sought after test subject he had no idea, but it had caused him to be extra vigilant after the second time it happened.

He forced himself to shake free of his memories to focus on the teacher and the surrounding class. He read the badge on the front of the white coat. Jacob Menson. He'd remember that.

"All last week we studied the theory of basic antidotes." Menson began.

Cloud cringed, wishing he could remember any of what he'd supposedly learned.

"Today you will attempt to diagnose the need for two slightly different healing potions."

At least, if he could pull it of with his lack of knowledge, they'd be learning something useful. Sometimes the slightest variation in a potion could be a matter of life and death.

"The mouse on the left is suffering from vomiting and violent shaking. The mouse on the right is suffering from sever lethargy and dizziness. The light blue potion contains Althelas and the dark blue contains Arhada. Your job is to remember which one to give which and then give me a brief summary as to how you determined this."

Cloud restrained a groan as he searched his memory for the answer. Althelas came from the mountains near places like Nebelheim. And then it clicked. The leaves steeped in a tea could help nausea! He also briefly using a combination of Althelas and a few other herbs to cure his vomiting caused by altitude sickness during his travels. And Arhada grew in valleys and a tea made from that helped act like caffine. He silently thanked his mother for loving tea to an obsessive degree. He wrote down what he knew about the teas and Althelas other use and then used the syringes to administer the potions. That done, he leaned back in his chair and waited for the instructor to come inspect his work. It didn't take long since he was the first to finish.

Menson loomed over him suddenly, cold eyes examining the mice closely.

"Excellent job, Cadet Strife. I am impressed." He drawled. "Stay back after class."

Cloud paled and nodded. He waited for the class to end, drumming his fingers impatiently. Finally the rest of the class began the mad dash to their final classes.

Menson loomed above him once more, something apparently enjoyed doing.

"You did not show such an aptitude in this class last week." He began.

Cloud paled and nodded.

"Um…yeah…I was really nervous the first week of classes." He explained, hoping he'd buy the excuse.

The scientist nodded.

"I see. Well, I expect to see this level of work from now on. Now, for the reason I had you stay back. I have an opportunity I only offer students I think show promise and talent. Would you be interested in it?"

Cloud felt his eyes narrow unwillingly.

"I don't know sir. You'd have to be more specific."

"You would be given the opportunity to work with the scientists here in Shinra in various things." He explained. "Often it would be assisting in herb gathering. It would be good for you, as an opportunity to further your education as well as a chance to get out and breath some fresh air. There would be assigned field trips for things like herb gathering of course, and if you're lucky you might even get a chance to work in the labs."

Clouds eyes lit up. A chance in the labs? He could find out all kinds of information if he played his cards right. He'd just have to make sure to stay away from Hojo. He smiled brightly.

"That's sounds really cool! I'd love to sign up for something like that." He lied smoothly.

Menson nodded, clearly pleased.

"Very good. Well then you should be heading to your next class. I'll have some paperwork for you to sign tomorrow."

Cloud nodded, saying nothing as he gathered his things and started a quick jog to his last class. He was smothering a grin the whole way. Things were going to go well from now on, he just knew it. It_ had_ to. If only he knew what was soon to come, he might not have been so confident.

**A cookie to anyone that knows where the names Athelas and Arhada are from! And don't forget to REVIEW!**


	7. Dinner Disaster?

**First, I would like to thank my wonderful Beta Esmeraude11 for fixing my numerous mistakes and giving me great ideas and support. And, for you who didn't know, Athelas is from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle Earth and Arhada is from the Earthsea series. No, I don't think Arhada is a healing plant I just made it up for purposes of the fic. Also, I didn't know of either of them until I GOOGLED them! But you guys who used Google cheated. Still, I didn't put limits on how to gain the knowledge so I shall not deny you a cookie. Congrats to you smart people out there! Smart…person. Well, LOTS of you got Athelas. Only a few.**

**Arhada. Still, congrats to you! –hands out cookies- Hope you like chocolate chip.**

**Disclaimer: Its only mine in spirit. LOL**

**Chapter 7 Dinner Disaster? Part 1**

Cloud waited impatiently for the last class of the day to end. The instructor was a SOLDIER Second who only accepted the name Sir in his classroom. Given how strict he was, Cloud had to at least _pretend_ he wasn't half asleep. The class was spent discussing the usefulness of flanking.

Finally it reached an end as they were instructed to turn in a full six pages on how flanking could be used in whatever situation they were given on the paper that had been placed on their desk. Once that was said, they were bluntly told to 'get the hell out of his sight'. It was increasingly clear that the SOLDIER wasn't teaching because he liked it.

Cloud bolted out the door along with his classmates and proceeded to run headlong into Zack.

"Oof!" Zack grunted. "Watch where you're running, Spiky!"

"It's your own fault for being there in the first place." Cloud argued, "And don't call me that! What were you doing skulking about the cadet classrooms, anyway?"

Zack grinned brightly.

"I was waiting for you of course. I heard you got Mc Cullen for Strategy. I thought I'd do something to cheer you up since you worked so hard all day long. And I'm only going to beat you up more after dinner so you might as well have something good in between."

Cloud eyed his friend suspiciously.

"That depends on what it is." Cloud said slowly.

"Just dinner!" Was the cheerful response. "Nothing big."

Cloud sighed in relief. One never knew what to expect when Zack was involved.

"Alright, fine. I have homework I need to do, so I'll be in the library. You can come pick me up when its time to eat, alright?"

Zack ruffled his hair affectionately.

"See you soon!" He said before departing at near break neck speed.

Cloud shook his head. He still had no idea where Zack got all that damn energy from.

Cloud's nose was buried in a book on the _nearest_ 'local plants'. Occasionally, he would jot down a note or two. He had been carrying on in that way for some time before he felt someone coming up behind him. He felt his body tense unwittingly. A hand touched his shoulder.

"Time for a well deserved break, Spiky!"

At Zack's familiar voice, Cloud willed himself to relax.

"Hey." He didn't even bristle at the name this time. The idea of good food made everything sound wonderful. He gathered his things and shoved them into a knapsack. He stood up. "Lead the way then, I'm _starving_."

Zack chuckled.

"You're in for a treat tonight. We're dining on the Upper Plate!"

Cloud's eyes widened.

"Who's paying for this?" Anyone that actually lived on the Plate and could afford to spend money there had to be rich. The fried Rarab had been something clearly from the slums. In all the things he had done in the past, Cloud knew he had never been able to afford to eat on the Plate.

Zack waved his hand dismissively.

"A friend. Don't worry about it."

Cloud narrowed his gaze but nodded.

"Alright. But…what am I supposed to wear? My cadet uniform?"

Zack scratched his head.

"Hmmm. No, I guess not. They may not let you in if you're wearing a cadet uniform. Too many young cadets like to wander around the Plate and cause trouble." His eyes suddenly lit up.

"What?" Cloud asked slowly, suspiciously. He didn't like that look. It promised bad things to come.

"We'll have to disguise you!" Zack explained. Without further explanation the stronger SOLDIER proceeded to drag Cloud out the door, down the hall and into an elevator. Cloud let him do this not bothering to protest. He waited in silence as the elevator moved to floor forty-nine, the 'SOLDIER floor'. Cadets were generally forbidden from it and all other high level floors. As soon as the doors opened Zack was off again, dragging Cloud along. Finally they came to stop outside a door that required a typed code to enter. Zack entered it and Cloud memorized it more out of habit than actually caring.

"Alright! This is it!" Zack announced, opening the door to reveal…SOLDIER uniforms.

Cloud felt his heart nearly stop at the sight of the uniform he'd worn for so long. It was a storage room for the SOLDIER uniforms, with the deep blue outfit hanging off of racks, shelved boots and yet more shelves stacked with pauldrons.

"You want me to 'disguise' myself as a SOLDIER? Aren't I a little…short?" He forced himself to say, adding just the right amount of skepticism.

Zack chuckled.

"Relax. SOLDIERS' come in nearly all sizes, even yours. We'll find you something that fits."

And then Zack became a blur of motion as he flitted about the storage room, picking out random bits of clothing and holding them up to Cloud. Each would be dismissed with a shake of his head as being too large or, in a few cases, to small. Finally he stopped and nodded firmly.

"Found it?" Cloud asked with a raised eyebrow.

Zack presented him with a pair of indigo pants and a matching sleeveless shirt.

"Yeah. What size shoes do you wear?" He asked, eyes squinting to peer at Cloud from different angles as he tried to make sure that he'd picked the right size.

Cloud resisted the urge to try and shrink away. He didn't like it when people stared.

'_It's better to be invisible.' 'He's watching too closely.' 'Guard your back.' _The voices bellowed warnings to him, his paranoia manifesting into the sounds heard only in his mind.

He managed to shrug casually.

"Ten. Are you really going to make me change right here?"

Zack rolled his eyes as he went to fetch a pair of boots.

"Yes. Don't tell me you're embarrassed to show a bit of skin. Don't be silly." He waved his hand, "Come on. I had to make a reservation and I'm not going to be late for it." Cloud grabbed a set of pauldrons that looked like they fit, but only strapped one on.

"Forget the other. I don't really need it and this makes me look cooler, don't you think? Like a high level SOLDIER." As an unspoken rule only a SOLDIER of considerable rank was allowed to modify there uniform to their own desires.

"Alright." Zack agreed easily, "Now get changed!"

Cloud hesitated. He hadn't noticed the first night, only realizing it when he changed for classes, but, it was now painfully obvious that his mind was not the only thing to go back in time. But he knew there was no use trying to hide when Zack was bound to find out _some way_. He slowly stripped off his clothes, revealing scars that crisscrossed his body. It was every scar he had yet to receive. The words the Goddess said to him came back to haunt him.

"_Your scars are tied to your soul."_

He hadn't figured she'd meant it _quite_ so literally. He heard Zack inhale sharply but thankfully he didn't say anything. He slipped into the clothes and boots first, before wrapping a belt with the Shinra company logo around his waist. The pauldron was last. Zack grinned brightly.

'There! Take a look at yourself before we go."

Cloud looked over and caught sight of himself in a small mirror and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The outfit brought up memories he had yet to deal with, that he didn't have _time_ to deal with. How could he waste time going over everything that hadn't even happened yet, when he could be busy _preventing_ it all? And then that made him wonder what he'd really done yet, besides becoming friends with Zack and running away from Sephiroth.

He shook his head, dragging himself away from those thoughts. Now was not the time. And then he saw Zack open his mouth, saw the questions in his eyes. He was not ready to deal with that.

"Let's go." He said, voice purposefully sharp.

Zack's brows furrowed but he closed his mouth, his gaze lingering on the blonde for a moment, before heading out this door.

They walked to the elevator and the two rode in a strained silence. Finally they stopped and stepped into the foyer of the Shinra Building. The silence still wasn't broken as they stepped outside into Sector 0. Finally Zack spoke up.

"It's just over this way. It's a bit fancy being here in this Sector, but not so fancy that you have to wear a suit."

"Right." Cloud acknowledge disinterestedly. He was feeling bad now, for sounding so sharp simply because he'd felt stressed. "Look… Zack …I'm sorry if I sounded a bit snappy earlier. I'm just under a lot of stress with classes."

Zack smiled and ruffled his hair.

"Don't let it bother you, Spiky."

Cloud flushed.

"Don't call me that." He insisted, somehow incapable of keeping the whine out of his voice.

Finally they came to a stop in front of an obviously Wutaian restaurant, the name of which, if he remembered his brief lessons in Wutaian correctly, meant White Flower.

"This is it!" Zack announced with a flourish, walking proudly inside. "Some of the best food you'll get on the Plate."

Cloud trailed after him, taking in the inside with slight awe. The place was made of white marble with gold trimmings. He waited for Zack to speak to the pretty blonde hostess dressed in an immaculate white shirt and pants. She summoned a waiter who then directed them to their table.

"Your menus are on the table, I'll be back shortly to take your order." The waiter said curtly, as he bowed his head and left.

As Cloud walked the last few feet to their table, which was in fact a large semi-circular booth, he realized that other people were already at the table. He could just see the tops of their heads. And as Zack shoved him over he looked across the table to see the cool green eyes of none other then Sephiroth. He felt his fight or flight instinct trying to kick in. He didn't even acknowledge Angeal's presence at all. He mentally resisted the urge to hit Zack. Dinner with Sephiroth? What had the SOLDIER been thinking? He swallowed his immediate reaction. He could do this, he could…really.

**Okay. That's it for now. I decided to cut off here and give you what you've all been waiting for. A new chapter! I hope you enjoyed it, please review!**


	8. The Colored

**Alright, I had to get these next two chapters out. I just couldn't stand it. These ideas have been bugging me too much. I hope you like it anyway! Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: It's….almost mine.**

**A Chance Chapter 8 The Colored**

Even as Cloud dealt with the incredibly difficult situation he'd gotten himself into, a shiver went up his spine. Not because of Sephiroth, but because he felt that he'd somehow made a terrible mistake.

A nine year old girl with pale skin, short, feathery red hair and light Mako blue eyes, sat in a plain room with a few chairs a desk and a bed. It looked rather remarkably like a prison cell. She was dressed in a tight sleeveless dark blue suit with a collar that went up to her chin. Across her slight breasts was a small steel chest plate. The suit also had veins that shone a bright blue in her eyes. She seemed to stare at the wall, completely ignoring the security camera on her left. Only the occasional flicker of her eyes to the door betrayed that she was waiting for anything. She didn't have to wait long. Soon a small group of people filed in.

First, was a voluptuous woman her skin a creamy white, only a shade or two lighter than the girl. Red painted lips smiled and she brushed a lock of dark red hair from her face. Hazel eyes glowed with Mako, just like the girl. Her outfit itself was both frightening and provocative. Crimson leather covered her neck, chest and from her arms to her elbows. From her elbow down, however, she wore sharp looking metal gauntlets. Her breasts and the sides of her ribs were covered in black leather, with three stripes of Mako running down the sides. Also, over the sides of her ribs was a steel platelet carved to resemble tribal like flames. A small bit of red fabric covered her lower extremities as well as another piece of tribal designed steel on the front. Behind her lengths of fluffy red fabric trailed like a bizarre tail, covering her ass, ever so slightly, and dragging on the ground. Black leather boots with stripes of soft blue Mako running down the sides, clung tightly to her legs and went nearly all the way up her thighs. In one of her hands she carried a massive double bladed weapon with red highlighting the length of the blade and the connecting centerpiece that looked like a clockwork cog.

"Shelke." She greeted with a smooth smile. She leaned her weapon on the wall and sat delicately in one of the chairs.

"Rosso." The girl, Shelke, greeted emotionlessly.

Next, was a hulking man, so big he had to duck to get through the door. His hair was a bluish-purple shade, and his yellow eyes glowing with Mako. On his skin crack like streaks glowed blue with Mako, like the stripes on his clothes. He was dressed in dark grey pants and a black leather shirt, with a slightly tattered grey cape and gloves that went up to his elbows. Each article of clothing, minus the cape, had at least two blue Mako stripes. He carried no noticeable weapon with him.

"Really Azul, you should demand that all the doorways be expanded just to accommodate you." Rosso teased.

Azul narrowed his yellow eyes.

"Shut up Rosso." He snapped. He sat down on the bed, making it groan with his weight.

"Azul." Shelke said quietly.

Azul gave a polite nod in her direction before returning to glaring at Rosso.

Then, a woman with dark brown hair and a single piercing icy blue eye, the other covered by a black eye patch, came in. Like the others, her eye shone softly with Mako. Her skin held more color then the other two, though not by much. Upon her head rested a crown with three prominent spikes in the front. Her outfit was a white leather coat with a thick black stripe on the front and back with strips of Mako highlighting it. On her waist and hips two black belts crossed in an 'X' with a symbol buckling them together at the front. Her armor consisted of a triangular white metal chest plate, back plate and shoulder guards. Thick black leather bracers were buckled on her forearms and her boots were simple but well taken care of with light blue soles. On her back she carried what had once been a regular SOLDIER distributed sword. It was black and silver, with various embellishments and an engraved hilt. In her arms she carried something long and wrapped in a bed sheet. She leaned against the desk, and tapped a black booted foot almost impatiently.

"Argento." Shelke greeted the woman.

Argento gave her a sad, small smile.

"Shelke." She greeted.

And finally the last of the group entered and the door slid shut behind the last two.

Shelke's eyes showed only the barest hint of emotion in them as her gaze fell upon the one known as Weiss the Immaculate. Glued to his side was Nero the Sable. The door sealed shut smoothly behind them.

Nero was thin with long, spiky, black hair. His skin was pale with a grayish tinge. His glowing eyes were red with cat like slits. His suit clung tightly to his form, leaving him mostly covered except for his forearms which bore two identical black tattoos. Like the others, his suit had a few stripes of glowing blue Mako highlighting it. On the sides of his calves were holsters for guns the length of his forearms. His most prominent features however, were the metal wings folded upon his back. They looked liked the wings of a bat, only with the bones exposed. At the ends of each bone-like piece was a long bladed dagger.

Weiss was tall with a muscular body. He was not a hulking mass of muscle like Azul but had a leaner, controlled build. His hair was white and spiked, sticking up in all directions. His skin was tanned and his eyes were blue with yellow rings circling his irises. He wore no shirt, only white pants with a black sash and knee high boots. He carried no weapons.

"The room is secured." Shelke said dully. "Hail Weiss." And there was only just the hint of passion in those two words. It was well known among the group that Shelke's training had slowly removed her emotions. It was estimated that she would have a year before she lost it completely.

"Hail Weiss." Was the echoed reply.

Nero leaned against Weiss' side and nuzzled his neck.

"Hail Weiss." He murmured.

Shelke the Transparent, Rosso the Crimson, Azul the Cerulean, Argento, Nero the Sable and Weiss the Immaculate; they were the Tsviets, soldiers of Deepground, the secret organization hidden beneath Shinra. "I had a dream." Argento injected quietly.

All eyes turned to the woman.

"Why would a dream matter?" Nero sneered.

"What kind of dream?" Weiss asked, yellow ringed blue eyes narrowing in interest. He and Nero had yet to move themselves from the entrance of the room.

"The Goddess came to me." She said airily. "She told me someone was coming. Coming soon."

Nero scoffed and Azul rolled his eyes. Rosso looked thoughtful. Shelke blinked slowly and kept her eyes on Weiss. She did not quite understand the logic of believing in a dream. But, while Argento did not confide such thing to her, she knew the woman sometimes went to Weiss and spoke of her dreams. Shelke only knew because she always manipulated the camera feed whenever she sought Weiss out for that purpose.

Regardless of what the others thought, it was Weiss' opinion that matter. He moved in front of her in a flash, both hands planted on either side of her. By the door, Nero looked very agitated.

"Who is coming? Tell me." He demanded.

"The one who will bring us our freedom." Argento said. Her voice was soft and near emotionless in its serenity. She was not frightened of Weiss' intense attitude. "I have a gift for you." She smiled softly. "I was going to wait until our freedom came, but I think it best you practice with them now."

Weiss moved back and nodded. "Show me then."

She handed him the bed sheet wrapped bundle. A dark smile touched Weiss' lips as he unraveled the object. Within the cloth two long Gunblades lay. They were black and silver in design with a long pistol running along the top of the blade. On each sword was also engraved an emblem, one with the symbol for Heaven and the other with Earth's.

"Their lovely, Argento. As always, your craftsmanship puts all others to shame." He strapped on the harness that had been wrapped up with the blades and turned to face the others. Heaven held in his right hand and Earth in his left. "The time is coming, one way or another. We will leave this place, and destroy those that have hurt and controlled us for so long. Shelke, how long until the virus you have been working on is finished?"

"Some time. I cannot yet guess how much" Shelke admitted. "And when I'm done I will require help loading it."

"I'll help with that." Argento offered.

"Good." Weiss grinned. "We're close. So close. And then we will have our freedom." He reached out a hand to Nero who immediately clung to his side. He chuckled. "Their end is coming."

**Up next, a villain is revealed! And THEN we'll get back to Cloud. I promise.**


	9. An Enemy Awoken

**This chapter is based heavily on the novel 'On The Way To A Smile'. In fact, some sentences were taken right out of it. But it's almost all my words otherwise. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine….mostly.**

**Chapter 9 An Enemy Awoken**

He had spent so long fighting against the Lifestream, as it tried washing away all that he was. If he had let go he would have become a part of it. It was an unacceptable fate. He was meant to rule the planet. To allow himself to be consumed would be accepting defeat.

He had known that if he tried hard enough, he could keep himself separate from the Lifestream. But he needed a focus, something to keep him tethered to the real world. So he clung tightly to all of his important memories, allowing the unimportant ones to vanish into the spirit energy that circled the planet. Memories like his childhood and the ones he'd once called 'friends'. And then he remembered the most important person. Cloud. Cloud, who had twice sent him into the Lifestream. He was perfect. Sweet, weak, sensual, little Cloud. He, who had already become a part of him. And so he made Cloud the core of himself. And he wanted to let Cloud know that.

"_I'm still thinking of you. And I'll show you the proof of that as well."_

And then the Lifestream erupted onto the Planet. His core moved in a torrent with the Lifestream as it spread across the land, from city to city to flood the world as it saved it. Whenever its strands touched people he left them with his stigma. He knew that if Cloud noticed the stigma then he would never disappear.

"_As long as Cloud remembers me, I can continue to exist. Within the Lifestream, and on the surface. Even if my spirit disseminates, even if its just one fragment of a memory courses around the planet, in the end I can count on Cloud's consciousness to bring me back."_

And when life on the surface turned to normal, they had no idea of what was happening around them. A darkness had been born, and he cherished it. It was a darkness born of souls not unlike his, who rejected the planet with their hatred. And he had laughed, in his own way, because he realized this was a darkness he had made. Him, with his anger and his hate, and his pieces of Mother and the insane Hojo. Oh yes, Hojo's mind lived still. Only fragments of it of course, rather like a harmless parasite.

He could have spent all his time feeding and nurturing the darkness, corrupting the Lifestream until all light was extinguished. He traveled around the world, branding more and more people with his stigma. On the surface many no longer had their normal lives, and at his temptation the darker part of their hearts grew even darker.

"_I want Cloud to know this is my doing. I want the humans to know this is my doing."_

He needed a body. There were things he wanted to say in his own voice. Things he wanted to shatter by his own hand. He decided he could use a piece of Mother to do it. But the fragment that had remained with him was not enough. He needed more. And he knew he could not yet reproduce his body anyway, as he had surrendered the memory of his appearance along with many other inconsequential memories. And so he searched the planet for a solution. And he found it in three young men. They were fragments of his, in some ways. He used Mother's gift to him and spurred them to act. He connected a part of himself directly to the youngest one. When they found Mother the chosen one would take her into himself and he would be reborn.

"_As my servants search for Mother, if they ever come across someone who knew me, then from that spirit I can learn of who I once was. And with Mother's further assistance I can become fully real. Even if there's something lacking, it doesn't matter. Cloud will make me complete."_

And it worked. He smiled coldly down at Cloud and their blades clashed just as they had before.

"_Tell me what you cherish most. Give me the pleasure of taking it away."_

He was winning; everything was going the way it was meant to. And then it wasn't. He raged in his heart as he was once more forced to circle the planet. The part of Mother in him was gone, burned away by the light. All that was left was the madness and the darkness her presence had forever burned into his soul. He was weak, and remained that way for some time. He watched for years, his hatred never dimming. He would never join the Lifestream. Never. He felt some sense of satisfaction that, while the darkness was gone, it had left clear and irreparable damage to the Lifestream.

And then, one day, as he watched Cloud mourn him, something strange happened. He felt a sensation. The first one he'd felt since his third death. It was something akin to falling and he lost his ability to 'see'. And then everything was back. He still floated as a spirit. But something was different. The Lifestream was undamaged from the war he had waged upon it, and yet somehow it also looked weaker. He observed the planet and came to a shocking realization. Time had been reversed. Midgar itself stood as testament. He came to the slow conclusion that Cloud had somehow returned and that he, with his core attached forever to Cloud, had followed inevitably.

Immediately he went to the place where Mother was kept. And she was there, completely whole. With a rush of joy he joined himself to her and she welcomed him, taking him in and making him stronger. And through her eyes he stared unblinkingly out at the world. And then those eyes saw _him_. Hojo. There was a flash of rage and then of pleasure. Yes. Hojo would be most useful in creating him a new body, a better body. One that even Cloud would not be able to defeat. And then, he would finish what he had attempted to do the first time, and would bring Meteor crashing down upon the Planet.

And then, though none of the scientists there noticed, JENOVA smiled, her visage frozen in a look meant to terrify. This was surely the beginning of the end.

**Like it? Hate it? Review! Next chapter, back to Cloud's Dinner! I promise!**


	10. Dinner Disaster? Part 2

Chapter 10

Dinner Disaster? Part 2

He'd started off the evening fairly normally, going through the constant flood of paperwork in his office. The clock reached 4 and his spine locked up in a perfect straight backed position as soon as he got up from his desk and began to make his way down to Hojo's personal office. As he rode the clear glass elevator on the outside of the building he looked out at the city in an attempt to distract himself. He crossed his arms, fingers tapping against his arm in what would have looked like an impatient gesture. But for him, it was as close to showing his dread as he would get.

As the elevator stopped he slid his security card through a reader near the doors. The doors slid open and he stepped onto floor 69, the headquarters of the Science Department. He ignored everything around him as he made his way to the far left corner of the floor. He passed cells and several tubes of Mako. He tried hard not to look at the things floating in the tubes, and the fact that some of them looked human. He ignored the lab tables where scientists clustered around specimens or mixed tubs of unrecognizable chemicals. He finally came to Hojo's office and knocked politely.

"Come in." Hojo called sharply.

After taking a deep breath, Sephiroth entered the room. Hojo smiled widely and stood from his desk.

"Excellent, I was wondering where you were. You're a bit late."

"There were things that required my immediate attention." Sephiroth smoothly lied, his face a cold mask. He had really just taken his time getting there in order to rebel in some small way.

Hojo pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Well, you're here now. That's what's important."

Sephiroth quickly and unobtrusively took in the too familiar room, finding himself more interested in watching Hojo. Something was different with the man and he suspected it had to do with the recent 'vacation' he'd taken.

The office was of a fairly large size, with walls that gleamed a bright white. The floor was a polished stone grey. Running the length of the left wall was a vast bookcase filled haphazardly with binders, folders, books and notebooks. The right wall contained various pieces of medical equipment, almost everything necessary to run a hospital clinic shoved onto one wall. In front of Sephiroth was Hojo's desk which was stacked with a mess of papers. And behind was the cold metal examination table he had come to hate so much.

"What will it be today?" He drawled. His body nearly twitched at the memory of the last experiment, a test of his current electro-shock resistance. Apparently his body was more capable of resisting such things for some unexplainable reason. At random times Hojo seemed fond of retesting that fact 'to see if it changed'.

Hojo gestured to the examination table on the right side of room.

"Sit down. Today we're taking some samples and I have a small injection for you." He began putting on a set of gloves and seemed engrossed examining various instruments on a metal tray.

Sephiroth sat down obediently, green eyes staring at the wall ahead of him. Another Mako injection. He shuddered internally. Why did his body have to absorb Mako so easily? He assumed the injections would stop the day his body stopped accepting them, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

"I take it that you mean things like blood samples? Don't you _already_ have enough of those?" His tone was detached and revealed none of his true interest in the matter.

Hojo turned to him sharply and the glazed, feverish look in his narrowed eyes caught Sephiroth's attention immediately.

"I decided I wanted fresh samples to compare with the last ones. I have to look after your health after all." He lied and Sephiroth knew immediately that he wasn't telling him the truth.

He'd gotten very good at knowing when Hojo was lying to him. The question became _why_ was he lying? Unfortunately he had no real reason to protest and so was forced to sit still as he was poked, scraped and stabbed for new samples.

And then came the part he'd been dreading. The mako injection. He winced as the large needle pierced the vein on his neck. He knew that Hojo didn't have to pierce such a delicate area; he just did it to hurt him. And as he pushed the syringe's contents into his blood, Sephiroth closed his eyes and cringed. Fire spread from his neck and through his veins, burning him from the inside out. He opened his eyes and his vision was blurry from the tears he would never shed. He felt his body curl in on itself against his will. A cotton ball was pressed to his neck as the needle was removed. It was held there only for a few seconds before being removed, his advanced healing having sealed the small wound easily. He sat there for a long time until the pain became manageable enough to move.

He stood up sharply, almost falling over due to his unsteady limbs. His entire body still burned, making each movement agonizing, not that he allowed himself to show it physically.

"If that is all; there's paperwork that needs attending to."

Hojo waved a hand dismissively and bent over the samples he had taken. Sephiroth left as swiftly as he could, grateful it had been only one injection this time.

And so he retreated to his office to do what he always did when he was trying to distract his mind from the pain. And then Angeal appeared, smiling knowingly at him from the doorway.

"Hey." He said softly.

Sephiroth tore his eyes from a report requesting more cots for wounded SOLDIERS and narrowed his eyes at the smiling man.

"Is there something of _actual_ importance you needed or are you simply here to pester me?" He asked, returning his gaze to the paper in his hand.

Angeal huffed playfully.

"I didn't come here to pester you, you know. I'm here with a dinner invitation."

Sephiroth paused thoughtfully, looking up.

"Where?"

"Your favorite, of course." Angeal grinned. "Xī méi." White Rose.

Sephiroth sighed, remaining silent for a minute.

"I suppose I could spare some time to eat. After all, you and Genesis are always reminding me that it's such an important activity."

Angeal rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yes, it's generally considered important to provide your body with enough nutrition to allow it to continue functioning on a day to day basis."

Sephiroth scoffed and began rearranging the papers on his desk, once satisfied he stood up. He bit back a wince as his legs trembled beneath him.

Angeal narrowed his eyes and he knew that he'd noticed.

"Mako injections again?" The raven haired SOLDIER questioned softly.

Sephiroth nodded ever so slightly.

"Food would be a welcome…distraction."

Angeal smiled brightly.

"Then let's go!"

* * *

Sephiroth let out a small hiss of pain, as he wouldn't in the company of anyone else, as he slowly slid into the large booth reserved for them. He sighed with just a hint of exasperation tingeing it, no hint of the brief flash of pain on his face.

"And who else will be joining us for dinner?" He asked, Mako green eyes narrowed suspiciously on his dark-haired friend.

"Just Genesis." Angeal defended, "…And Zach of course….along with his newest friend."

Sephiroth sighed again. _Of course _he couldn't get a moments peace, not even to eat dinner. No doubt this friend of Zach's would be just as annoying, loud and impulsive as the SOLDIER himself. He glared at his friend and waited patiently in silence for the rest of their company to arrive.

And when Zach and his companion finally appeared his eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise. He knew that strange spiky blonde hair and those wide blue eyes. He observed a flash of fear followed by anger then a stubborn wariness along with an unidentifiable emotion come from the boy and he wondered why. It didn't strike him the same way the cadets were normally afraid of him. It reminded him of the eyes of his enemies on the battle field. He felt his curiosity pique at the sight.

"Cadet Strife." He drawled. He raised an eyebrow as he took in his dress. "Promoted to First so soon?"

Strife blushed deeply and then turned to glare at Zach.

"It's his fault." He accused. "He said a cadet wouldn't be welcome in a place like this."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at the SOLDIER. "Oh?" There was a tense moment of silence where Zach looked at him with a stricken expression, clearly floundering for an answer. It was apparent that Zach had not anticipated a negative reaction from him. "Well, I suppose you're right." He said, at last "They do tend to look down on the cadets with much suspicion. I suspect it's because a cadet couldn't normally afford to be here on the small allowance that they're given."

Zach sagged in relief. Angeal snorted.

"Regardless, it suits you." Angeal drawled, "I'm sure you will care to show proper honor to such a high ranking appearance."

Strife's blush seemed to darken further and he ducked his head.

"Yes, sir."

Zach grinned and ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Relax Cloud! You're here to relax and enjoy yourself! Don't let Angeal and Seph tease you. And enough with all of this 'sir' business. You don't have to address them that way, you know. I'm sure they won't mind."

Strife shook his head.

"Unlike _some_ people that _I_ know, I know to properly treat those above my station." Strife muttered, seeming to forget that those around him had enhanced hearing.

_Well, at least the boy understands the concept of respect. _Sephiroth mused. _If he's lucky, Zach won't break him of that._

"Cadet Strife is acting the way he is expected to act." Angeal interjected, "Not everyone considers themselves above the rules, Zach."

Angeal and Zach chatted amiably for awhile about the basic training Strife was going through and Sephiroth felt his eyes inexplicably drawn to the strange cadet that had caught Zach's attention. He was small and scrawny, not looking at all like any suitable candidate for SOLDIER should. The tiny, whimsical part of him that he rarely acknowledged was fondly reminded of a yellow feathered, blue eyed chocobo he'd had in his late teenage years, a gift from Angeal and Genesis for a six month mission.

He noticed with some curiosity how the blonde avoided looking directly at him, but seemed to always be watching him from the corner of his eyes. And every time he noticed his observations his fingers gripped the edge of the table and his back would stiffen slightly. He tested him by glaring at him with all the detached coldness he reserved for Hojo and was rewarded with a visible convulsion as the blonde reached for some phantom weapon near his shoulder. A sword perhaps? His cheeks flushed brightly as he grasped nothing and there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. He could easily see the boy's paranoia. When Strife wasn't watching him his eyes scanned the restaurant critically, eyeing and cataloging all the exits.

Part of him was also unwillingly reminded of himself. Growing up as he did taught him to mistrust others, to always be ready for anything. But why did Strife seem to focus almost solely on him. Perhaps because he was deemed as the biggest 'threat'? Though that logic seemed flawed as Angeal was also dangerous to someone as weak as Strife. And where was this boy from that he had such an ingrained instinct for fight or flight?

He was at a loss for answers, which is something that didn't happen often. He didn't like that. It irritated him. Was this what had captured Zach's attention? This puzzling little blonde? Well, he reasoned, he would figure him out and then move on as he did with all things in life that caught his interest. The only exceptions to that were Angeal, Genesis, and Zach and that was mostly because they had refused to go away when he had first deemed himself 'done' with them.

"If my presence makes you uncomfortable Cadet Strife, you are welcome to leave." He offered coolly. The unexpected sound of his voice startled the blonde, making him jump.

"N-no sir, it's not that. I'm just...not used to such a nice place." He gave a false sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his head. Sephiroth resisted the undignified urge to roll his eyes and glanced down at his menu. Why did anyone bother lying to him anymore? He could always tell when they were. His thoughts were finally turned from the blonde briefly as the waiter arrived.

* * *

First off, anyone who reviews gets a snippet of an upcoming chapter. And it was kind of a crappy ending, I know. Sorry. Had to cut it off or it would just keep going without end. So, love it? Hate it? Review!


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